Today's Creative Idea: Embedding Stuff in Acrylic

[browngirl]

An idea I had and a request for feedback and advice.

I want to give my coworker who trained/is training me something nice. She mentioned liking Tinkerbell, so I thought of embedding a wee Tinkerbell doll in acrylic to make a paperweight of a flying fairy.

I've occasionally thought of embedding things in clear acrylic, because I love the idea, but I've never done it. Has anyone? ANy advice? I can't do it till the weather warms and dries, as I'd need to work outdoors, but I have no other ideas on potential pitfalls, etc.

Comments

[shirebound]

I've never done that, but I think it's a wonderful idea for a gift for her!

[berreh.livejournal.com]

I've never encased anything 3-D, but I've done it with paper and such. I have a very hard time with patience and fiddling with things before they're done, so I went through quite a few brush-stroke-marred, cat-hair-festooned, fingerprint-squished things. :D

[elrhiarhodan]

I worked with dimensional acrylic once, and nearly killed myself with the fumes (I was a silly craftsperson and thought the circulating fan would be enough ventilation).

Also had problems with air bubbles and such. And the trimming and polishing.

Nothing sounded simpler than casting three small square blocks to act as place holders for the tiles missing in an antique mah jong set. I was quite mistaken in that belief.

I'd check out Craftsy to see if there are any instructional video and guidelines.

[jim-p.livejournal.com]

I did it once many many years ago when I got an acrylic casting kit for Christmas. The acrylic itself is a two-part mix; it typically comes as a quart can of resin and a small bottle of hardener, which are mixed to a specific proportion.

To do what you describe, you first select (or build) an appropriately-sized mold. Mix up some resin and fill the mold partway. Let the resin set to a stiff but not hard consistency, lay the object in it, and then fill the mold the rest of the way.

Naturally there are some subtleties involved. It can be tricky to judge exactly when to lay in the object; too soon and it'll sink to the bottom of the mold, too late and the resin hardens. The working time is typically measured in minutes.

it has been over something like 45 years since I did this

[andreas_schaefer]

back then one could buy molds with highly polished ( and possibly trated with a seperating coating ) inside molds.
If you manage to find one of those you save 5/6 of the polishing work. ( think of a cube with 5 sides already glossy ).
One does need an airy workplace and it may be necessary to let the stuff harden overnight.
Back then in ADDITION to the glossy molds one could buy glossy foil - somewhat similar to the foil one glues onto ones tablet or mobile - such a glossy(coated, special ) foil applied to the top of the resin while it is not yet hardened was supposed to limit polishing to a very small area ( if done right that is tha bottom or back. )

hope this makes sense

http://www.zazzle.com/tree_of_stars_fairy_clear_acrylic_block_decor_award-256127595543523393 is probably too expensive and not quite right

and https://www.google.com/search?q=tinkerbell+in+acrylic+block&newwindow=1&safe=off&biw=1680&bih=935&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Veo1U6D4GaKK4wSqlIC4Dg&ved=0CFoQsAQ#newwindow=1&q=tinkerbell+embeded+in+glass+block&safe=off&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=v9cKUfutOnx1VM%253A%3BIgpIodEGOp6AMM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi.ebayimg.com%252Ft%252FBeautiful-3D-laser-embedded-Flowers-in-a-Vase-crystal-glass-block-paperweight-%252F00%252Fs%252FOTk2WDcwMg%253D%253D%252Fz%252FG~cAAOxyRhBS29Ff%252F%2524_35.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fitm%252FBeautiful-3D-laser-embedded-Flowers-in-a-Vase-crystal-glass-block-paperweight-%252F171271134407%3B211%3B300 aint it either.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Disneys-Tinkerbell-Glass-Paperweight-AS-IS-/220917255733 is closer

or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laser-Etched-3-D-Paperweight-ANGEL-FAIRY-w-STAR-WAND-3-x2-x2-Boxed-/110860698710?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cfd00456

as alternate solution not requiring chemistry try searching for "snowglobe diy" on ebay - snowglobes that one can either fill with ones own design or in its simplest form just add a picture .
And you CAN draw so that might be the right combination of affordable & made by you & and not messing wth the resin stuff.

[sabotabby]

Never done it, but if you figure it out, I'd love to hear about the process!

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

I remember one of my brothers doing it when I was a kid (eep--around 45 years ago) with a kit he got for Christmas or a birthday. it came with an assortment of nice smooth molds you could use. You'd fill it halfway, let it cure, add the thing, and fill it the rest of the way. The surface then would be the bottom of the final thing, and you would more or less sand that smooth.

I recall him being reasonably successful with it.